Behavioral health workforce development technical assistance program - in response to the health resources & services administration's (HRSA) behavioral health workforce development (BHWD) technical…

Behavioral health workforce development technical assistance program - in response to the health resources & services administration's (HRSA) behavioral health workforce development (BHWD) technical assistance program funding opportunity announcement (HRSA-25-080), the university of wisconsin-madison center for health enhancement system studies (CHESS) is partnering with the university of missouri kansas city (UMKC) collaborative to advance health services and the education development center (EDC). We propose continuing the behavioral health excellence-technical assistance center (BHE-TAC), which we have developed under the current award (HRSA-21-086). Our continuing project will build upon the extensive knowledge, relationships, and proven strategies we have cultivated to ensure a seamless transition and ongoing support for HRSA's BHWD grantees. With a deep understanding of the evolving needs of the BH workforce, we will apply the lessons learned, leverage established partnerships, and apply our technical assistance (TA) model to support training, capacity-building, and workforce development. Our experience and strong partnership, combined with our commitment to innovation and continuous quality improvement, positions US to deliver high-quality TA to expand the knowledge and skills of the BH workforce nationwide. Needs to be addressed: the U.S. Faces a persistent shortage of BH professionals, intensified by provider turnover, burnout, an aging workforce, stigma, and barriers to care, particularly in health professional shortage areas (HPSAS). Despite the proven effectiveness of evidence-based practices (EBPS) for mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) prevention, treatment, and recovery, widespread adoption is limited. Rural and medically underserved communities experience the greatest barriers to BH service access. BHWD grantees need support in preparing the pre-service workforce with skills and knowledge to address the ongoing SUD and mental health crises and adverse trends in suicide rates that continue to challenge communities, families, and individuals. Proposed services: our project will leverage the multi-faceted approach developed in the current BHE-TAC project to deliver high-quality training and TA, including proactive TA: virtual trainings, webinars, communities of practice learning series (COP LS), and resource development. We will also provide reactive TA, to include on-demand TA tailored to individual grantee needs, consultation, curriculum infusion, and customized training. In addition, we will develop and manage a public-facing website that will offer an event calendar, a comprehensive suite of resources, and a secure portal for grantees to request tailored TA. Our resources will be developed based on a grantee needs assessment to ensure practical, relevant, and immediately applicable products. Resources will include in-depth reports, issue briefs, toolkits, online self-paced education available on demand, and multimedia learning options. Products will enhance knowledge and support real-world implementation, reflecting emerging trends, workforce priorities, and the evolving behavioral health landscape. Rapid-cycle quality improvement strategies for continuous assessment will inform our efforts and goals to provide responsive, engaging, and impactful training and TA services. Population groups to be served: our project will directly support BHWD grantee program recipients: academic institutions and organizations training the next generation of BH professionals; faculty, students, and field placement supervisors in HRSA-funded BH programs; BH professionals and paraprofessionals across diverse disciplines, including social work, psychology, counseling, nursing, and peer support. Our grant proposal was developed in response to the notice of funding opportunity released prior to the president's executive orders. We are prepared to work with our project officer to make any necessary adjustments during the implementation of the cooperative agreement.